Learning How to Make Gelato with the Pros… Dolcino in Nottingham

Dolcino’s story began in Rome, 1950, with a small ice-cream kart and a family passion for making artisan gelato. Today the Arcadio family, owners of Dolcino in Nottingham’s Market Square, boast four generations of gelato makers stretched over 60 years of experience.

Dolcino brings the authentic taste of handmade Italian gelato to the streets of our wonderful city. Opening their first business in Loughborough, they branched out within the East Midlands to Nottingham last year and offer a huge array of flavours and desserts to suit every palette.

Our recent visit gave us the chance to learn the secrets of gelato making first-hand from the experts themselves. For someone with a penchant for all things Italian, walking into Dolcino’s already feels like stepping into a little piece of Italy, especially seeing a Vespa taking pride of place by the front counter!

We learnt that gelato is the Italian version of ice-cream – with a higher proportion of milk and less air, which makes it thicker and creamier and gives it a more consistent taste. Neither of us could contain our excitement trying the Unicorn Sundae and Cream Egg freak shake – both of which were ridiculously fun and tasty. My personal favourite treat however, was the twist on Twix gelato - flavoured with Amoretti biscuit which I had never tried anything like before. For those who want a little bit different, Dolcino has a mouth-watering waffle menu where you can choose your own toppings and sauces (try the Cheeky Monkey with Nutella and Banana for sure).

Amy adds: I had an amazing experience getting to try all of the gelato flavours created by the wonderful Kirsten and Francesco – not only has this passionate couple created good quality and original products, they have created a warm, genuine and welcoming place to come and experience something that has been passed on through generations.

I particularly enjoyed the Unicorn Sundae – if you love bubble gum and sweet berry flavours this is the one to go for! We also got to try the Cream Egg Freak Shake, Nocciola, and the Cheeky Monkey Waffle, amazing if you love anything chocolate, nutty or banana flavoured!

During our masterclass, Francesco explained that Dolcino always makes their gelato fresh on site and you can watch upstairs through a glass window while they work! Francesco talked to us about the philosophy of dedication which makes Dolcino’s gelato so unique. The Arcadio family runs their independent business with pride, and it’s about “finding the best products and tasting something good”, plus letting guests become part of the family. As well as the café downstairs, there’s also upstairs seating where you can enjoy a view of the market square while relaxing with friends all year round. They regularly hold demos where you can make and taste the product with them – check out the website for upcoming dates.

Dolcino runs a buy-one-get-one-free offer on selected desserts every Friday & Saturday, 6pm to 9pm.

This post was written by Lydia Jones, Partnerships Coordinator at Visit Nottinghamshire, and guest writer Amy Segrove.